


Aisle Nine

by orphan_account



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, I don’t know what to tell you, I’m just a mess guys, Kind of like a coffe shop au, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, but a grocery store au?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 11:38:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13006995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: David Jacobs was working two jobs to support himself and his siblings, and didn’t see a way out. That is, until he met Jack Kelly.





	1. Chapter 1

  David Jacobs hadn’t slept in too long. After getting back from his double shift at the cafe, Les had been sick and so he had stayed up with him all night. Despite his reluctance to leave Les home alone, Davey had to get to work. 

  On his way to his morning shift at the grocery store, Davey called his sister on speaker phone.   
  “Hey, Davey!” She greeted happily. He sighed.   
  “Hey, Sarah. Les is really sick so I left him home. Do you think you could call him to check in in an hour or so?”   
  “Sure. Is he okay?”  
  “He’s fine. Just a stomach bug, but he was up all night.  
  “So you were, too.” He sighed again.   
  “Yeah.”  
  “Are you okay, David?” She never called him that.   
  “I’m fine.”  
  “Because I know we said we could work this out with me at school and everything but I can always come home.”  
  “No!” He yelled immediately, sick of having this argument. “Look, we agreed that you would stay and finish up your degree.”  
  “Davey, you say that like it’s a year or two but I’m only a sophomore.”  
  “You have scholarships; we can afford it.”  
  “What about you? How is it fair to you?”  
  “It’s perfectly fair! When you’re done I’ll go to community college at night and we’ll figure Les out when we come to it.” Sarah sighed.   
  “Davey, you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met.”  
  “That doesn’t mean anything.”  
  “There’s nothing wrong with going to community college, but it’s not what you want. You’ve always wanted to go to Columbia and I’m not going to be responsible for stopping you.”  
  “You aren’t. This is my choice, Sarah, and I made my decision a long time ago.”  
  “Six months ago.”  
  “That’s a long time.”  
  “Davey…you know it’s okay to still be sad, right? It’s not that long ago. You’re eighteen and your parents are gone. The brave David Jacobs can still be sad.”  
  “It’s been six months. Besides, there’s not enough time in the day to be sad. Just…just call Les like I asked, will you? I’ve got to go to work.”  
  “Davey-” He hung up. He couldn’t handle it right then. He had work and Les to deal with, and he came second.

  Unpacking boxes every morning was not how Davey had envisioned spending the year after high school. He wanted desperately to be at Columbia, where he had gotten a full ride, but he knew he had to stay home and provide for his little brother. Sarah had volunteered to leave school and come home to help, but Davey thought at least one of them should have a degree. He also had been lying to Sarah, he didn’t see himself ever going to community college at night, even when she came home.   
    Despite having dreams of accomplishment and success in a career, David Jacobs was no longer destined for greatness, and he knew that. He would work and put Sarah and Les through school, and then, one day, when both of his siblings were sick of him living on their couches, he would have an average, lonely life.   
  “Excuse me, mister, do you know where I could find bandages?” Davey turned around from the produce to see a boy, about his age, with cracked hands and bleeding knuckles. Even considering that, he was beautiful. Davey had to take a second to recompose himself before answering.   
  “Uh, yeah, aisle nine. Are you…it’s none of my business but are you okay?”  
  “What?” Davey gestured to the boy’s hands and he looked down, having seemingly forgotten about them, even though they must have been causing him a lot of pain. The boy laughed.

  “I’m fine! Sorry to worry you. The uh…the bandages ain’t for me.” Davey nodded and was about to let him walk away when he couldn’t contain himself.   
  “Look, you should probably…sorry, but I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t tell you to get that seen to. It’s just that I have a little brother and if he came home like that I wouldn’t want him to go untreated.” The boy smiled at him.   
  “That’s real nice, but I don’t know what to do. Besides, it’s happened before and I’ll be fine.” Davey signed.   
  “I don’t want to overstep my bounds or anything but I get off in five minutes and I’ll do it for you…”  
  “Jack.”  
  “Jack. I’m Davey.” The boy, Jack, eyed him up and down briefly.   
  “Okay, Davey. Meet me out front in five minutes and you can do whatever you want to me.” Davey felt his cheeks turn red. Jack didn’t even wait for a response, just turned and walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

  Davey’s shift has just ended and he quickly went to clock out before heading outside. He ran to his car to get his first aid kit, and looked around for Jack. He didn’t know what he was thinking, offering to meet a stranger outside and alone. But, the brother side of him took over and he couldn’t stop himself.  

  “Davey!” He turned around to see the source of the yell striding towards him.  

  “Hi, Jack. Let’s get you fixed up.” It was obvious to anyone who could see him that Davey was depressed, and it didn’t help that he kept letting out exasperated sighs. “Did I do something wrong?” Jack asked as Davey cleaned his hands, Jack hissing at the sting every so often. Davey shook his head frantically.

  “No, sorry, I’m fine. I just,” He smiled softly. “I’ve had a long day.”

  “It’s noon, Dave.”

  “Yeah, I was up all night with my little brother so my yesterday never really ended.”

  “Is he okay?”

  “Yeah,” Davey shook his head dismissively at Jack’s concerned expression. “Les is just sick.”

  “How old is Les?”

  “Ten, almost. He’s a sweet kid.” Jack smiled fondly.

  “And what about you, Davey? Why are you the one staying up all night with your little brother?”

  “My, uh…my parents got in a car crash a while back, didn’t make it.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Davey smiled falsely. With a huff he declared Jack fine, and bandaged his hands.

  “Can I see you again, Davey? We could go for coffee?” David’s heart fluttered. He couldn’t imagine why I guy as attractive as Jack would want to spend time with him, especially the way he was implying.

  “I appreciate it, Jack, but I really don’t want a pity date.” Jack frowned.

  “I don’t do pity.” He said sternly. Davey looked him in the eyes.

  “What?”

  “I know what it’s like to be pitied and I won’t do it to someone else. Let me take you out, Davey.” Davey stood, looking at this boy, this handsome, beautiful, sweet boy who wanted _him_ and knew he couldn’t.

  “Thanks, but I don’t have time for dating. I work two jobs and take care of Les in between. He comes first right now and I don’t need something as stupid as my dating life ruining that. How could I possibly think of myself when he’s a ten year old who just lost both his parents and got me as a lousy replacement? No, I’m sorry, I can’t.” David had rarely been so open with the closest people in his life. Unexpectedly, Jack, a boy he barely knew, drew him into a hug.

  “It’s okay, Davey; It’s alright.” Davey hadn’t even realized he was crying. “I’ve only known you fifteen minutes and I know Les doesn’t think you’re a lousy replacement. I’m sure he thinks you’re the best big brother in the world.” He latched onto Jack as if his life depended on it. “If you won’t let me be _with_ you, let me be your friend. You need friends right now, I can tell. Is that okay, Davey?” He nodded into Jack’s jacket. “Alright, here’s what we’re gonna do: we’re gonna make sure you’re okay, and then we’re going to exchange numbers, and you’re going to call me when you need help.” Jack kept talking when David tried to protest. “Davey, you need help right now and that’s okay.”

  “How could you possibly know what I need? You hardly know me?”

  “Just trust me, I’ve been there before. Have you ever heard the story of the man in the hole?” Davey shook his head. “There’s this guy walking down the street when he falls in a whole. The walls are steep so he can’t get out. A doctor passed by and the guy shouts, ‘Hey you! Can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole, can you help me out?’ The priest writes down a prayer, throws it in the whole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. ‘Hey, Joe, it’s me! Can you help me out?’ And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, ‘Are you stupid? Now we’re both down here.’ The friend says, ‘Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.’”

  Davey had been listening, enthralled, through the entire story and began to cry in earnest when Jack finished. “Point it this: as long as you want me, I’m here for you. It don’t matter that we just met; whenever you need me, I’m there.”

  “For sure?”

  “For sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I stole that story from The West Wing.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on tumblr. @uniond-we-stand.


End file.
